


Anthowhatsit?

by jujukittychick



Series: LJ tamingthemuse prompts [20]
Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Community: kinda_gay, Community: stories_a_z, Community: tamingthemuse, Fluff, Gen, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-26
Updated: 2015-06-26
Packaged: 2018-04-06 05:23:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4209543
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jujukittychick/pseuds/jujukittychick
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There’s a new demon in town and Spike and Xander are sent to the one person – well, demon – that might be able to figure out how to get rid of it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Anthowhatsit?

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: tamingthemuse #466 - Anthomancy, stories_a_z – A, kinda_gay #3- Magic
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own BtVS and am making no money; I am doing this for my own fun and entertainment. The fandom belongs to its respective creators and owners who *are* making money off them.

“So why are we going to see your ex again? I mean, I know she’s supposed to be a seer and all, but why the weeds?”  
****

  
Spike rolled his eyes at the teen and tapped a cigarette out of the pack he had stolen the previous night.  “’S like you don’ even bother to pay attention.  Know you’re smarter than that.”  He didn’t even have to look over to know the boy was blushing. Boy couldn’t take a compliment for anything, not that Spike had been trying or anything.  “Dru can see things, yeah, but it helps to give her something to focus on, otherwise Ms. Edith’ll have her talkin’ about birdies and stars and shite.”  
  
“And a bunch of weeds will do that?” Xander wasn’t able to keep the skepticism out of his voice as he looked down at the haphazard bouquet of wildflowers and what he was pretty sure were  _actually_  weeds.  
  
“’S called anthomancy, using flowers for scrying and the like, it was more of a thing back in my day. Kinda fallen out of popularity since then, but since the only thing we got to go on is the field the demon showed up in, as good a lead as any other.”  
  
Xander looked over at the blonde vampire walking next to him, the way he seemed to glide along the sidewalk, duster flapping around his legs, a trail of smoke slipping from between lips the same color pink as one of the flowers in the bouquet.  Not that he noticed that kind of thing.  Tearing his gaze from the vampire, he looked back down at the flowers doubtfully. “Seems kind of a stretch, this anthowhatsit stuff; why can’t Giles or the girls do some kind of spell in the field and get the information?”  
  
“Anthomancy.” Spike corrected automatically before shrugging carelessly. “And don’ rightly know. Rupes said it couldn’ be done and asked if I might have another idea.  I’d heard Dru had moved back to town so figured it couldn’ hurt to try.  She’ll either give us our answer or a bunch of rubbish we won’ be able to figure heads or tails of.”  
  
“I thought you were fluent in Dru speak?  I mean, you’ve been with her for like forever.”  
  
Spike sighed, studying the end of his cigarette before crushing the tip between his fingers and flicking the harmless butt into the bushes. “Dru was already hid away when Angelus found her, whether ‘cause she was already seein’ things or just to keep her pure, I don’ rightly know.  ‘Gelus never cared to find out and, by the time he was through torturing her, she couldn’ remember anything before her dear ol’ daddy got to her. By the time she’d found me, she could mostly function on her own, but there’s times where nothin’ she says makes sense. It’s all stars an’ suns an’ flowers an’ Miss Edith whisperin’ in her bloody ears.”  
  
Xander reached out, his fingers barely settling on a leather clad shoulder before jerking away. Not daring to look over at the blonde, hearing the pain in his voice, he had to wonder what it was like to love someone as damaged as Dru as long and as deeply as he had.  Had to wonder what it was like to have that kind of love for himself.  
  
Neither spoke for the rest of the short trip, each lost in their own thoughts.  
  
Spike finally stopped in front of a rather non-descript house, not bothering to knock after hopping lightly up the stairs.  “Dru? ‘S your William and your Kitten come to visit.”  
  
Xander scrunched up his nose, muttering even though both vampires would be able to hear him. “I really wish you wouldn’t call me that.”  
  
Spike raised an eyebrow, “Y’ think I like t’ be called William?”  
  
“Good point.”  
  
“William, Kitten, you came to see Mummy.   Ms. Edith said you were naughty boys and wouldn’t come see me, but I told her she was wrong and sent her to bed with no supper.”  
  
Spike leaned forward and kissed her cheek. “Right as ever, you are.  ‘S why we came to see you, pet; we got a demon prowling ‘round and don’ rightly know where t’ look.  We were hopin’ you might be able to help us.”   
  
Xander thrust the shabby bouquet towards the seer.  “Here, Spike said you could maybe see something with these.”  
  
“My boys brought me flowers. Such good boys for Mummy.” Taking the bouquet, she held it up to her nose, taking in the odd combination of scents.  Scattering the flowers across the table, she picked up the soft pink colored flower that Xander had noticed earlier, fingers plucking the delicate petals off one by one, humming and muttering to herself as she spun away.  
  
Xander and Spike stood next to the table, watching Dru sway around the room, pale pink petals floating to the ground behind her. Giving Spike a curious look, he nodded toward the door.  
  
Spike looked from the boy back to Dru, wondering if they should just go, she seemed to have left them behind for her own world.  
  
“He loves you. He loves you not. He loves you. He loves you not. He…” Dru’s fingers hesitated on the last petal as she spun to look at Spike.  Smiling airily, she swayed towards him, tucking the decimated flower behind his ear.  “Tomorrow. Come see Mummy tomorrow my dear, sweet William and my clever Kitten. I will know then.”  
  
“Of course, pet.” Leaning forward, Spike bussed a gentle kiss against her cheek once more before tugging Xander behind him and pushing him towards the door.  The boy may be her “Kitten,” but Spike couldn’t trust her not to make him her Kitten permanently, either.  
  
They were two streets away when Xander finally spoke. “Well, that was weird.  Not that that’s unusual, I guess. I mean we’re talking about Dru here; that was actually kinda tame. Um, you gonna leave that there?”  
  
Spike watched the boy wave his hand in some kind of complicated pattern before realizing he was talking about what was left of the flower.  Not bothering to answer, his mind still playing over Dru’s sing-song words, he plucked the stem from behind his ear, the single remaining petal fluttering in the small breeze.  _He loves you. He loves you not. He loves you. He loves you not. He…_  Spike ran his fingertip over that last clinging petal before plucking it loose, letting the stem fall to the ground.  _He loves you._  Looking over at the boy next to him, young man really, Spike couldn’t help the small smile that tilted his lips.  _He loves you_. He’d known it was a good idea to go see Dru.


End file.
